School is back in session or will be in the next few days for most kids. Are you looking forward to it or dreading it? Most of us feel some mixed emotions. I know I look forward to getting back into a routine but I dread the homework and getting kids rushed out the door in the morning. The beginning of a school year is a good time to set some goals and begin on a positive note for kids (and parents!)

Why are goals important for kids?

When kids help set the goals, they are more invested and feel empowered. Much of their school day is directed by teachers and they may not have a lot of choices throughout the day. By focusing on some goals for the year, they can focus on the things they do have control over. Goals also help provide direction. They will be more effective if you write them down and put them where the kids will see them frequently. Kids will feel a sense of accomplishment and confidence as they see themselves succeeding at their goals. It also becomes a learning experience when they don’t meet a goal to help them be resilient and bounce back from mistakes by trying again.

What goals should kids create for school?

Each kid will have different goals. It’s important for them to help identify things they want to focus on and parents can chime in too. Tonight we sat down as a family and talked about some goals for the new school year. Here are some of the goals we discussed:

• Watch for kids who might be lonely or need a friend.
• Do your best work .
• Respect your teacher.
• Follow the school and classroom rules.
• Stick up for someone if they are being teased or bullied.
• Stand up for what is right and don’t give in to peer pressure.
• Use your time wisely.

We talked about how these goals can help them have a happy and successful school year. We also went shopping for school supplies and they put their backpacks together. There was definitely a shift in energy in our house. The kids became excited to go back to school and they had some goals in mind to start working on too! Spend a few minutes with your kids and talk about what they would like to achieve this year. It will hopefully help you and your kids look forward to the new year with a positive outlook.